Lower revenue caps are a one-size-fits-all approach based on the faulty assumption that the need for services is steady from year to year. Local revenue needs often spike above or below proposed revenue limits. These spikes are caused by numerous factors such as local growth spurts, declining local or regional economics, receipts of — or reduction in — federal grants, new or modified state and federal mandates, and natural disasters or homeland security breaches.

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Waco Tribune-Herald, Sep 16, 2017
State funding that has failed to keep pace with a growing school-age population plus state mandated increases in appraised values combine to force schools to increase local property taxes.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times, Dec. 3, 2016
An editorial from Bennett Sandlin, of the Texas Municipal League, that succinctly discusses many of the issues that both cities and counties have with revenue caps.

The Texas Tribune, Oct. 24, 2016
As property values increase, the state will spend less on schools as more of the districts’ funding comes from increases in local property taxes. State officials, who set up this process, can then blame local officials for increasing local taxes while patting themselves on the back for holding down state taxes.

Houston Business Journal, May 5, 2016
Houston Mayor Turner called for an end to the controversial property tax revenue cap in 2017 in order to fund needed city services including hiring additional police officers.

Salado Village Voice, April 8, 2016
Since Texas is heavily dependent on property taxes to fund local government and public education, rates here are higher than in states which rely more heavily on other sources of revenue...

Moody’s, March 16, 2016
Moody's Investors Service downgraded the City of Houston's (TX) general obligation limited tax rating (GOLT) to Aa3 from Aa2, affecting approximately $3 billion in previously issued bonds. Suggested removing the city’s revenue cap as one factor that could improve the negative rating outlook.

Center for Public Policy Priorities, March 14, 2016
Compares the long-term growth in property taxes with that of total personal income and explains why total personal income is a better measuring stick than median household income

San Antonio Express News, Feb. 21, 2016
Bexar County Judge Wolff explains why Lt. Gov. Patrick’s claim that there was a 62 percent increase in the property tax levy of Bexar County from 2005 to 2014 is misleading. Judge Wolff notes that the state budget increased by 74 percent over the same time period.

Austin American-Statesman, Jan. 27, 2016
Analysis reveals that 81.6 percent of local tax revenue comes from the property tax, in part because Texas does not have an income tax. However, the analysis also determines that while Texas may have higher property taxes, the overall tax burden is very low compared to other states.

San Antonio Express News, Sep. 22, 2015
McLennan County alone expects to apply initially for up to $270,000 in criminal justice funds from the governor’s office to help offset costs associated with the Twin Peaks shootout and its aftermath.

Houston Business Journal, Aug. 7, 2015
Houston’s mayor responds to an article in the Houston Business Journal pronouncing the City of Houston “on the brink of a financial crisis” following the issuance of a negative outlook from Moody’s due to concerns about pensions and the City’s voter-approved revenue cap limitations.

Austin-American Statesman, July 11, 2015
Investigation of a statement by Ron Paul that Jasper County raised taxes by 7 percent in a single year just to pay for a capital murder trial in the late 1990’s.

West Texas Drive, March 1, 2015
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, the Texas Republican revolution forged west of I-35 and up the Caprock to limit government and entrust us to govern ourselves (as well as to implement term limits, but that’s a subject for another time).